The Scooter Boost

photo by Matt Cohen

At least five guys at this year’s NFR owe a lot to that horse.

by Kyle Irwin

In our world, it’s not uncommon for four or five bulldoggers to ride one horse all year long. But to have one horse help four guys get to the National Finals Rodeo? That’s something you don’t see often. Not only did Scooter help me, Tyler Pearson, Ty Waguespack and Ty Erickson make the NFR this year, but he helped Riley Duvall at a crucial juncture this season.

This was in September at the rodeo in Puyallup, Washington. Riley was about five-thousand dollars out of the top fifteen. I was barely hanging onto the fifteenth slot, and Riley was right behind me in sixteenth.

Riley was at home in Oklahoma with his family and wanted to fly up to Puyallup and mount out on Scooter. Riley loves Scooter. I want to say that every time Riley rode Scooter this year he won money.

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I talked it over with Tyler. Scooter wasn’t full. Sure, Riley can ride, we agreed. He’d do it for us.

A couple guys told me they couldn’t believe we let Riley ride Scooter. I mean, wasn’t he close to bumping me out of the top fifteen? I said, “Yeah, but Riley’s one of our buddies.”

Boom! Riley won ten-thousand dollars out there and passed me in the standings. I won enough at Puyallup that I didn’t fall out of the top fifteen. Later, Riley told me, “Man, I really appreciate that!” After Puyallup, he had enough money that he went on home. I was still on the bubble and kept rodeoing pretty hard.